Overview of Lesson Plan: In this lesson, students will consider their beliefs about antismoking laws before and after examining total smoking bans in various countries and the rationales behind them.

Author(s): Michelle Sale, The New York Times Learning Network Javaid Khan, The Bank Street College of Education in New York City

Suggested Time Allowance: 1 hour

Objectives:Students will: 1. Consider their own beliefs about various issues relating to smoking bans. 2. Consider reactions to a new smoking ban in Italy by reading and discussing the
article “Smoking Ban Clears the Air, but It Befogs Italians’ Mood.” 3. Explore smoking bans in various countries, make brief presentations on their findings, and discuss major issues relating
to smoking bans. 4. Write position papers supporting or opposing the institution of a total smoking ban.

Resources / Materials:-pens/pencils -paper -classroom blackboard -four large pieces of paper, each with one of the following statements written in large letters: “Strongly Agree,”
“Agree Somewhat,” “Disagree Somewhat,” “Strongly Disagree” -copies of the article “Smoking Ban Clears the Air, but It Befogs Italians’ Mood,” available
online at //www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20050112wednesday.html (one per student) -resources about
countries with total smoking bans (health textbooks, periodicals, computers with Internet access)

Activities / Procedures:NOTE TO TEACHERS: Before class, hang the four “statement” posters in different corners of the room. Because students will be moving around to stand beneath
the statements with which they most agree for different statements related to smoking bans, be sure that students have clear paths in the room to reach the four corners. 1. WARM-UP/DO NOW: Explain to students
that they will be expressing their views on different statements that you will be reading to them regarding laws banning smoking. Point out that each corner of the room has a sign that states to what degree students
agree or disagree with a statement. For each of the statements below, read the statement aloud and allow students to move to the corners of the room that best express their views on the statement. As students take
their places, write the statement on the board. Then, ask at least one student in each group to share his or her choice. -Smoking isn’t as bad for your health as other activities. -It is the right
of any person to breathe smoke-free air. -Private businesses such as bars or restaurants should be exempt from smoking bans. -Banning smoking in public places should be a local, not national, issue. 2. As a class, read and discuss the article “Smoking Ban Clears the Air, but It Befogs Italians’ Mood” (//www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20050112wednesday.html),
focusing on the following questions: a. Over what law are Italian smokers and restaurant owners upset? b. According to Concetta Gaggiano, how did the new law affect diners’ eating experiences? c. Why did Andrea Pinketts say that he might move to Cuba? d. What did Mr. Pinketts deem more damaging than smoking? e. What percentage of Italy’s population smokes, according to the article? f. Where does the new law ban smoking? g. Why didn’t many of the bars and restaurants make renovations that would allow smoking under the ban? h. What are restaurant and bar owners supposed to do
if they see someone light up? i. What types of fines or punishments can restaurant and bar owners receive for violating the ban? j. Why is Marino Pessina worried? What has he done in response to the ban? k. What other countries in the European Union have total smoking bans? l. When were antismoking laws first passed in Italy? m. According to the Health Ministry, how many people die of smoking in Italy each
year? n. According to Health Minister Girolamo Sirchia, what is the goal of the smoking ban? o. What is the group Codacons? How did it respond to the ban? p. According to Edi Sommariva, what is the law
asking restaurateurs to become? What was his prediction for the ban’s success? 3. Divide students into five or six groups. Explain that each group will be preparing brief presentations about the total
smoking bans in a particular country, and that these presentations will be used as a starting point for a class discussion about smoking bans in general. (You may wish to mention that in the United States, some
states, such as New York, California and Delaware, already have smoking bans in place.) Assign each group a country that has a total no-smoking ban or is in the process of implementing one, such as Bhutan, Norway,
Sweden, Ireland, Uganda, New Zealand and Italy. (Refer to //www.ash.org for more information.) To guide their research, encourage students to answer the following questions (written on
the board or copied into a handout for easier student access): -When did, or will, no-smoking legislation take effect? -What reasons are cited for enacting this legislation? Who has supported it? -What
reasons are cited for disputing this legislation? Who has opposed it? -What establishments, businesses and people have been or will be directly affected by this ban? How?

Once research is completed,
students should take a few minutes to review their notes and share their information with the class. Then, in round-table discussion format, students explore the idea of smoking bans using the information they
have learned through their research. Though the discussion will likely be easily driven by student comments, some guiding questions are offered below. Because the discussion may become heated, the teacher may want
to maintain a “speaker’s list.” Students who wish to add to the discussion raise their hands, and the teacher writes their names on a list. Students will be called on in the order that their
names appear on the speaker’s list. Students can be added to the list at any time by raising their hand, but students must talk in turn. -Should tobacco companies’ interests (and the interests
of other industries, such as restaurants and bars) matter when it comes to making legislation that may improve the health of the general population? Why or why not? -How can a smoking ban affect the culture
of a country both positively and negatively? -Who is responsible for creating legislation that bans smoking? Is it the national or local government? -What does the phrase “preventable deaths”
mean to you? What impact will a ban on smoking have on statistics relating to “preventable deaths”? -How important is it to protect the air we breathe? How does this need compare with the need
to protect other natural resources such as water and rainforests? -If tobacco is so harmful, why not ban it altogether? 4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Individually, students write position papers supporting or opposing
the institution of a total smoking ban such as the one put into effect in the country you researched during class. If your country or locality already has a ban in effect, consider whether or not this legislation
was a wise choice. To bolster your argument, use ideas and facts presented during group presentations and the class discussion.

Further Questions for Discussion:-How might smoking be considered part of a national culture? -What other industries affect the air we breathe? How? -How might a monetary fine prevent people
from smoking in designated areas or outside? -How does smoking affect a nation as a whole? -Why should smokers be considerate of nonsmokers? Should nonsmokers be considerate of smokers? -Why might a
person begin smoking?

Evaluation / Assessment:Students will be evaluated based on participation in initial opinion activity, group research and presentations, class and group discussions, and thoughtfully written position
papers.

Extension Activities:1. Prepare a poster highlighting countries that do not have national no-smoking laws, but have bans on smoking in specific establishments and buildings. Consider Thailand, Canada,
the United States, etc. 2. Create a “How It Works” poster illustrating the various ways cigarette smoke affects the human body. 3. Andrea Pinketts, an author and smoking advocate, calls the
Italy law a “Calvinist move aimed at creating a new sort of apartheid.” Research the basic principles behind Calvinism and apartheid. Write an essay explaining these points, as well what Mr. Pinketts
meant by these references.

Interdisciplinary Connections:Economics -Write a research paper examining the finances of the tobacco industry. How large is it? What percentage of the national economy is it? Who are the largest
companies? What brands do they make? How have sales been affected in areas such as New York that have passed a ban on smoking? -Create a company profile of one of the largest tobacco sellers. What other industries
are linked to this company? How much money does each division of the company make? Do the interests of this company clash at all? If so, what is the logic behind the business conducted by this company? Journalism
– Research current activities in the anti- and pro-smoking movements. Pretend to be a beat reporter and ask both smokers and nonsmokers about the issues uncovered by your research. Write an article for your
school’s newspaper illustrating your findings. Media Studies – Create a timeline illustrating how various mediums have contributed to attitudes towards smoking. Consider advertisements, movies,
television and magazine content. Teaching with The Times – Over the course of the next two months, scan the Health section of The Times for articles related to smoking. Write a brief summary of the article
and your personal thoughts about what was written. To order The New York Times for your classroom, click here.

Other Information on the Web:The Action on Smoking and Health (//www.ash.org/) is a national antismoking and nonsmoking human rights organization providing information
about health risks and legislation relating to smoking. NoTobacco.org (www.notobacco.org) provides information persuading teens against smoking. The National Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention provides statistics and general information relating to smoking and tips on quitting at www.cdc.gov/tobacco. The World Health Organization has
information regarding smoke-free initiatives, tobacco-related treaties and other helpful links at //www.who.int/topics/smoking/en/.

Academic Content Standards:Grades 6-8 Health Standard 1- Knows the availability and effective use of health services, products, and information. Benchmarks: Knows how to locate and use community
health information, products, and services that provide valid health information; Knows community health consumer organizations and the advocacy services they provide; Knows situations that require professional
health services Health Standard 2- Knows environmental and external factors that affect individual and community health. Benchmarks: Knows cultural beliefs, socioeconomic considerations, and other environmental
factors within a community that influence the health of its members; Understands how various messages from the media, technology, and other sources impact health practices; Understands how peer relationships affect
health Geography Standard 10- Understands the nature and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics. Benchmarks: Knows ways in which communities reflect the cultural background of their inhabitants; Understands
the significance of patterns of cultural diffusion Grades 9-12 Health Standard 1- Knows the availability and effective use of health services, products, and information. Benchmarks: Knows how to determine
whether various resources from home, school, and the community present valid health information, products, and services; Knows local, state, federal, and private agencies that protect and/or inform the consumer;
Knows situations that require professional health services in the areas of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation Health Standard 2- Knows environmental and external factors that affect individual and community
health. Benchmarks: Knows how the health of individuals can be influenced by the community; Understands how the prevention and control of health problems are influenced by research and medical advances; Knows how
public health policies and government regulations impact health-related issues Geography Standard 10- Understands the nature and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics. Benchmarks: Knows how cultures
influence the characteristics of regions; Understands how human characteristics make specific regions of the world distinctive

This lesson plan may be used to address the academic standards listed above.
These standards are drawn from Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education;
3rd and 4th Editions and have been provided courtesy of the Mid-continent Research
for Education and Learning in Aurora, Colorado.